*In late August I was taken out of my morning reverie by a machine.*The photo displayed on the "CDM site":http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/08/24/handmade-gems-from-the-cdm-flickr-group-sound-destruction-and-c64/ featured an unusual and colourful masterpiece called, “The Sound Destruction Unit”. I clicked further. The modular homemade synth led me to "a flickr pool":http://www.flickr.com/photos/farnea/461259365/in/pool-cdmu/, a "youtube video":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es3ATQ5TRTc, then eventually to the "creator and his talented wife":http://www.farnea.biz/index.html. In their respective online worlds, was this overlapping and complimentary universe of design, art and sound.Audrey interests include, “music, dance, writing, crafting art with surplus and recycled stuff, photography, diy, movies, japanese culture”While Max, “interests focus on electronics, retro computing, robotic, music, cyberpunk culture, diy, vintage stuff, hacking gadgets, japanese world "I was so thrilled to discover that their varied projects matched and surpassed many of my own. This creative couple remained in the back of my mind for several months, I wanted to know more and share that.At last, I got in touch and here they are.*CHRONIQUE SUR …Audrey & Max / Music, Art & Robots / Italy*Commentary by Audrey (Ombretta) & Max(This is the fourth in my series of guest interviews.)*1/ Would you mind telling me when you both first started creating in your respective interests? Was it always a collaboration and what is the work dynamic of your artistic relationship? It seems very compatible.*AUDREY: I’ve always loved to express myself with any kind of art, from dance to photography. Two years ago I’ve started making decorations with the basic decoupage techniques, using all sort of target object from boxes to cups or bottles; but it didn’t satisfied me because it got annoyed after a few months. Then I was really surprised to discover how could be stimulating and funny assembling little sculptures with common material and little object and since now it is my main form of expression. I join this activity with my skills in photography setting up scenes that gives life to my creations. Watching max working on his instruments I’ve found a lot of ideas to make my robots more alive and interactive with little lights and circuits.MAX: since I was younger, in the early 80s, electronic music, video games and home computing were my first interests and I lived electronics and computer technology always with a creative point of view. I went deeper in my hobbies studying for some years electronic engineering and taking piano lessons for seven years. Thanks to my studies in electronics I went addicted to robotics and I built a mini-robot for a couple of national competitions.Finally, more or less 4 years ago, with some friends of mine we set up the "Elisha Gray band":http://www.elishagray.com/ and since then I’m investing all my resources and free time in music making and in building experimental instruments.A few time later I met Ombretta with her vitality, fantasy and creativity. We together have found a lot of energy to express ourselves helping each other with suggestions and ideas.*2/ Audrey, Browsing through your website, I was impressed with the elegance of your recycled art. I love the robots! What initiated your interest in re-using materials to make objects so decorative and fun? I have this image of you skip diving in Verona!Has your photography played a role in this attention to aesthetic detail? Do you work with Max on his instruments/music?*AUDREY: my interest in making art with recycled stuff has started when I was watching Max making his electronic experiments and all the junk or surplus material he left on the table. Since now I like finding shapes like faces or body parts in every plastic or metallic piece I take in my hands. After I find such shapes, assembling them is really a natural process. It’s funny when you image me into skip diving in Verona, really funny indeed, but it’s incredible how many unused things can be found simply at home. One of the most beautiful aspect of this kind of art is giving a second life to things.Photography plays a continue role during my crafting process. While building my robots I try to give them life with the right pose and the right perspective, as while composing a good scene for a photography.*Max, I see your really into retro gaming and vintage, this plays off so well in your creations. Where do you find your vintage accessories and where do you draw the line in balancing the old and new when making an instrument? When I look at your dystopian/cyperpunk page, it reminds me of the creations of Michel Gondry.*MAX: More than half of my retro and vintage stuff was mine when I was child or teenager. Other hardware comes from friends or eBay bids. The line in balancing the old and new when I’m making a new instrument is always different and is traced putting the old stuff in a modern context, and if needed ignoring also the original rules on which it was based on.*Just curious, do you know of "Randy Pausch":http://www.cs.cmu.edu/"Max Farnea Myspace":http://www.myspace.com/maxfarneamusic"Elisha Gray Myspace":http://www.myspace.com/elishagrayband"Elisha Gray Main":http://www.elishagray.com"Robots":http://www.myspace.com/audreyrobots(Photos, Audio & Video are used with permission.)*Many thanks to you both.* Max and Audrey generously provided me this insightful interview in English. Good luck with your upcoming projects and keep in touch.*PREVIOUS ‘CHRONIQUE SUR …’*"Mounam":http://mog.com/LadyC/blog_post/49228"Clorinde":http://mog.com/LadyC/blog_post/40954"Stop. Part One":http://mog.com/LadyC/blog_post/33019"Stop. Part Two":http://mog.com/LadyC/blog_post/37277